My Own Health Scare
So as most of you know by now, my dad passed away a few months ago, and my mom nearly did herself this past summer. Thank heavens she’s still around because she is so freaking awesome and I know I don’t tell her enough.
Me? I’m just fine. But this squeamish gal has had her blood taken WAY too many times in the past six months. It all started in September after I returned from fashion week (thank goodness…everyone knows you have to be tip-top for that. Except I was battling a double ear infection…but that’s another story.)
In late September, I just didn’t feel great one weekend after I had my daily coffee. I got in the shower in a quiet house (whew) and realized I just didn’t feel right. I was having hot flashes, a little tingling/numbness and my heart was kind of racing. So I drank some water and rested before we headed to an outdoor party. I made sure I ate plenty, but I never felt totally fine that day. I shrugged it off.
Until in October I made a morning shopping trip to Target (alone) just for fun. I guess hasn’t eaten much for breakfast and while I was there started feeling weird again. Only this time it was way worse. I had to open a KIND bar and sit down on a bench and try to act as if nothing was wrong. Even though I felt as if I might faint. It was slightly scary, yes. Somehow I managed to checkout, but the drive home was frightening, and when I got home I tried to eat and rest. But I got cold and shaky and short of breath. So nuts.
So I called the doctor the next day. I had bloodwork done to see if I had any issues. Because I thought back to a time when I had taken Fenugreek to help my milk supply while nursing, and it had completely messed up my blood sugar. (I was still nursing during this whole ordeal. Let’s face it, having kids and nursing will really throw your body off.)
My blood sugar results came back in November to be high, so I then went to an endocrinologist who tested me for something called hyperinsulinemia. You bet I researched everything high and low about this subject and couldn’t understand how I could have it. I wasn’t overweight…didn’t eat a horrible diet…didn’t have parents with it, etc. It just didn’t seem right to me. Of course my sweet little daddy worried about me the whole time. I just didn’t feel well. I would keep a package of raw pumpkin seeds in the car to make me feel human again when I started to feel off. I lived off these. And suckers.
So in November I made the (very hard) decision to stop nursing. At nine months, it was earlier than I’d planned, but I felt my body was out of whack and it was best for me. It took about a month, but I started feeling better in December. Until my dad passed away…and then it was hard to tell because of stress (and no sleep from babies). I’d have to start all over and make sure I watched my sleep and diet. (Lack of sleep realllllly affects me.)
I finally made it to the endocrinologist in January and had another lab. It also came back slightly high, even though the doctor didn’t think I had hyperinsulinemia. I didn’t really feel bad in February or March.
Earlier this month, I had another follow-up lab and it was normal. It was determined I probably don’t have hyperinsulinemia and definitely don’t have diabetes. Whew. Huge relief. I do have to return this fall as a final follow-up, but I’m so relieved to know I don’t have it and I’m incredibly glad to be feeling better.
I honestly think it takes at least a year after babies to get our poor bodies back to feeling “normal” again. And then after nursing, it can take at least six more months. I’m just now at that point, which seems so crazy. I think as women we try to hurry it all along too quickly and lose sight that we made miracles and our body did a miraculous (hard!) thing.
I am supposed to make sure I never gain too much weight and eat right and exercise since I might be prone to diabetes. But isn’t that everyone?!
Let’s all take a moment this week to be thankful for our health. I know going through this has definitely made me realize how lucky I really am. I’m so, so thankful for my health these days!
April 28, 2015 @ 1:46 am
Happy that this ended with good news! Sometimes it's hard to convince ourselves that we're not Wonderwoman & our bodies have to give us a little reminder nudge…